GREENOCK Wanderers get back to BT National League Division Two business tomorrow when they entertain fourth-placed Falkirk at Fort Matilda in a massive game for both clubs in the context of both the championship and relegation battle.

Visitors Falkirk are very much in the promotion hunt and, with Wanderers needing points to relieve any relegation worries, both sides have plenty to play for in what should be a cracking fixture between two highly motivated sides.

The men from Cala Park have had a fine season and have lost only twice but with both of those losses coming in their last two fixtures, Wanderers will sense that perhaps tomorrow is the best time to play the championship hopefuls, who have stuttered a little of late.

Unbeaten until the start of the month, Falkirk lost a top-of-the-table clash with Hamilton but then followed that up with an unexpected reverse against mid-table Aberdeenshire in what was a surprising result of jaw-dropping proportions in the context of the campaign.

From Falkirk’s perspective, a visit to Greenock is exactly what they need to get their season back on track with a confident display and a try-scoring bonus point victory.

Wanderers though are in buoyant mood having arrested their slide in the league in their most recent outing when they defeated west coast rivals Ardrossan Academicals by a solitary point three weeks ago.

With two vital home games in successive weeks it is time for the locals to show some true grit and determination to get back to winning ways at their Fort Matilda base, where they have not recorded a competitive victory since October 2013.

Head coach Graham Knox was delighted to accept a floodlit friendly fixture last Friday evening as part of the preparation for tomorrow’s big game and, although Wanderers suffered a heavy 43-19 defeat away at Hillhead, the display produced plenty of positives for the locals, particularly the performance of several of the younger players.

In terms of selection Knox is likely to stick with experience and once more skipper Murray MacDonald, Matt Gray and Ally Abernethy up front and Andy McDougall, Kenny Diffenthal and Leigh Tyley in the back division will carry the hopes of the Fort Matilda faithful tomorrow.

This core group of players form the spine of the side and collectively have clocked up an impressive number of appearances in the red, black and gold shirt. Tactically, one club rugby match is pretty much the same as any other in that the team that dominates possession invariably wins the game.

That will be Wanderers’ objective tomorrow and with the nucleus of the side all in place they have the ability to make that dream a reality.

The set piece must gain at least parity in the elemental disciplines of lineout, scrummage and restarts and with open side flanker Anton Ward in top form the locals will look to make a serious impact at the breakdown. Ward’s fine form has been rewarded at representative level and he has been selected for the Glasgow District Under-20s squad. The 19-year-old is now playing his second season of top team rugby at Wanderers and is a youngster of whom much is expected in the future.

Greenock received another major boost when hard tackling winger Gregor Fletcher came through last week’s friendly unscathed and he goes straight back into the starting line-up. Strong in the tackle and fleet of foot in attack, Fletcher has all the attributes necessary to make a difference tomorrow and will be a fixture in the Wanderers side for many seasons to come.

President John McDougall said: “It is an important fortnight for us and we have to take some points from these two games to ensure we stay ahead of Livingston and Haddington at the foot of the table.

“Tomorrow’s game with Falkirk will certainly be tough but we have improved recently and I expect us to give a good account of ourselves and take the game to them, particularly as we are on home soil.” Prior to Falkirk’s’ defeat to Aberdeenshire there was only ever likely to be one outcome tomorrow but that loss raises some doubt as to the visitors’ title credentials and it will become apparent as the game develops whether that result was simply a blip or symptomatic of something more seriously wrong at Cala Park.

Despite that though the visitors are odds-on favourites to take the spoils but if Wanderers can raise their game, show some self-belief and, in old fashioned terms, roll up their sleeves and get stuck into their more fancied opponents, then an upset might just be on the cards.

A Wanderers victory would be superb but equally, in terms of the ongoing milieu, securing the losing bonus point would not be unwelcome.

Wanderers are sponsored by Texas Instruments.